A Fighter Bound In Chains
by Raserei Hojo
Summary: Soubicentric. From Soubi's youth with Ritsu, his enslavement to Seimei as a teenager, his passion with 12 year old Ritsuka as an adult, and beyond.
1. Force

**A Fighter Bound In Chains**  
_Chapter 01_  
Force

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Even things that should rightfully be given away are sometimes taken by force._  
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Darkness flooded Soubi's vision as the whip struck his back for the first time, tearing away the pale skin. His hands, pressed flat against the wall, wanted more than anything to curl into fists and have his nails dig into his palms.

Ritsu-sensei noticed the split-second twitch of Soubi's fingers. "Soubi-kun," purred Ritsu. "I'm still seeing signs of your pain. Your fingers…" Again the whip snapped against Soubi's back, more forceful than before. Soubi's fingers remained very still. His ears, however, flattened back.

There was complete silence for the next ten seconds as Ritsu evaluated his pupil's reaction. Soubi remained still and tense, waiting. Dissatisfied still, Ritsu cracked the whip again. When the dark red liquid gushed from Soubi's back, Ritsu smiled.

Inwardly, Soubi winced. Inwardly, Soubi cried out. His shoulders wanted to shake, but Soubi held them still. His legs wanted to fold into themselves and collapse, but Soubi determinedly held them steady.

"I think I've found the problem," Ritsu cooed. Soubi's cat ears flattened even more against his head when he heard those words.

There was still a problem? But… Soubi was doing absolutely everything perfectly. His body was not showing any sign of pain, despite the warm blood that ran down his back and soaked the waist of his pants. What could possibly be the problem?

"Your ears…"

Soubi's heart sank right into his stomach. He suddenly became aware of how flat his cat ears were, almost hiding in his blonde hair. And then, he felt his tail was lowered and between his legs like a wounded dog.

"No matter how still you hold your body, your cat ears always show your true feelings. They press flat against your head every time they know another attack is coming. While your ears being flattened and your tail between your legs is not a sign of _pain_…" Ritsu ominously ran his fingers along the length of his whip. "…They are undeniably a sign of _fear_."

Well, Soubi debated inwardly, of course he was afraid. What if Ritsu-sensei went too far one day? What if he was unable to bear the pain? What if he died before he was able to meet his destined Sacrifice? How were you supposed to hide something as instinctual as fear?

A flurry of hand movements sent the whip ruthlessly attacking Soubi's back. "Never be unprepared," Ritsu said calmly. "Never let your guard down. If your Sacrifice dies, it is _your _fault."

Soubi couldn't take it anymore. His hands clawed desperately at the wall as he cried out in agony, slowly sliding down onto the floor. "A Sacrifice who is alone has no power. A Sacrifice cannot cast spells. If you die, Soubi, then your Sacrifice dies as well."

One last powerful blow made Soubi tightly wrap his arms around his waist. If he was too weak, he would die. If he was too weak…his Sacrifice would perish with him. Soubi hated himself. If he could not even bear a mere whip, he would never be able to bear powerful spells. Why did he have to be so weak? Why couldn't he be stronger?

Ritsu continued to whip him for several minutes, his lips forming a lopsided smile. Finally, it seemed that Soubi understood and became silent and still, seeming to be able to ignore the pangs of intense pain that rushed through his body. Then, Ritsu suddenly twisted Soubi around to face him and stared down at the thirteen year old. "Worthless," he spat. "Why do I even bother wasting my time with you?"

Soubi didn't know. All he knew was that his back was burning intensely, it was as if it was on fire. Secretly, he wanted that fire to consume him and save him from his own failures as a Fighter.

"You're much too adorable to be a Fighter, Soubi," said Ritsu quietly. "I'm telling you, it's those ears." His hands stretched out and gently pet Soubi's ears. They were silky and soft, just like Soubi's hair.

Soubi remained frozen on the floor. When Ritsu uncharacteristically began to scratch a sensitive spot behind his ears, Soubi became confused. Was…he supposed to let Ritsu know he enjoyed being scratched there? Or was he supposed to contain that emotion, just as he should with fear?

"Does this feel good, Soubi-kun?" Ritsu wasn't smiling.

Soubi debated his answer for a few seconds, deciding to offer a small nod. "Yes, sensei. It feels nice…"

When Ritsu did smile again, it was strange and unnatural. "Good." Ritsu stopped scratching behind Soubi's ears. "I'll be taking your ears, now."

Soubi blinked, unable to comprehend the words fast enough. Ritsu thrust Soubi to the floor, pinning his arms down with his knees. "If you're very still, maybe it won't hurt so much, Soubi-kun."

Soubi didn't want to lose his ears. He had always thought that his cat ears were something to be given away when he was ready, not forcibly taken away. Maybe… Maybe he didn't want to give them to Ritsu-sensei.

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Perhaps he had always been juvenile about the matter, but Soubi missed his ears and his tail. Especially his ears. He had always childishly thought that when his ears fell off, there would be a bald spot or something; it was as if he had never had ears to begin with. There wasn't even a mark on his lower back where his tail used to be. Soubi's childhood was gone, and Ritsu was the one with the keepsakes.

Soubi sighed and stared up at the ceiling. It was comfortable being able to lie on his back without his tail being in the way. Still, his back ached from Ritsu's whip, and the rest of his body ached from Ritsu taking his ears.

Without his ears and tail, Soubi was an adult now. A very young and still slightly naïve adult, but an adult none-the-less. Did this mean he was ready to meet his destined Sacrifice?

Soubi closed his eyes and he thought about the person that he would be bound to for the rest of his life. He had dreamed of this person for so long that he had all the features memorized. A young, handsome male, with black, unruly hair… A beautiful face with violet eyes… He didn't know this person's name, but Soubi was absolutely positive this would be his Sacrifice, and from the moment they met, Soubi swore he would protect his Sacrifice no matter what.

That night, Soubi's dreams were not only full of his mystery Sacrifice, but of great blue monarch butterflies that refused to let him be. He woke with a start as the door to his bedroom swung open and loudly hit the wall. Ritsu stared down at him, smiling, blatantly rubbing Soubi's fallen ears together with his fingers.

"Hurry and get dressed. I have someone waiting to meet you. Come to the second floor meeting room." Ritsu tossed Soubi's ears into the air and skillfully caught them again. He pocketed them.

Heart beating much too fast to be even remotely healthy, Soubi hurriedly changed into fresh clothes and ran barefoot from his room and down the hall. He struggled to button up his shirt as he ran up the stairs and rounded the corner. He stopped in front of the closed double doors, his chest heaving, his back burning. With a decorous expression on his face, he pushed open the double doors, knowing what was waiting for him.

He could feel it in his heart. Beloved… His mind knew what the word meant, and it awed him to be in the presence of such a beautiful creature. Beloved… To be loved. And that was exactly what Soubi would do.

Beloved sat on a stool in the middle of the room, his legs elegantly crossed and his hands folded neatly in his lap. Soubi concluded that Beloved was only one or two years younger than him. And he still had his ears.

Ritsu-sensei stood behind Beloved, a stoic expression on his face once more. "Do not think that your training is over, Soubi-kun." Even in the presence of others he used the affectionate suffix. Ritsu walked slowly to the middle of the room. "Seimei, this is Soubi, your Fighter. He is, of course, disposable. If you tire of him, feel free to return him."

Disposable? How could Soubi be disposable? Fighters were meant to exist for their Sacrifices. If one of them died, they both died. The bond was almost magical. Why would anyone want to break it?

Soubi took an uncertain step towards Seimei... His Sacrifice... "Semei," he breathed. It had an addicting sound to it. "Beloved…?"

Seimei's handsome face and eyes turned to look at Soubi. A smile blossomed on his lips and he nodded. "Yes, that's correct. My name is Seimei Aoyagi, and you are my Fighter." The fact that Seimei was claiming Soubi as _his_ was disturbing to Ritsu. They had only just met and their current bond was very fragile.

Soubi nodded obediently. Yes, this was his mysterious Sacrifice. This was his master. This was Seimei, and Seimei would be his life.

Ritsu cleared his throat. "Seimei, until Soubi's training is finished, he will continue to live here. But don't worry, in a year or two, Soubi will be the perfect Fighter."

Seimei momentarily frowned, but then his face was full of childish happiness. "Then I suppose if Soubi will become perfect, there is no need to dispose of him."

For a moment, no one moved. Then Ritsu firmly grasped Soubi's shoulder. "You know how a Fighter should act. And if, per chance, another Fighter and Sacrifice pair come your way, you had better win."

"I will win," said Soubi affirmatively. "For Seimei."

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**Author's Note: **_Well, this is my very first Loveless fan fiction. What do you think? Please tell me your thoughts in a review? Ah, and also, no, this is not a one-shot._


	2. Servitude

**A Fighter Bound In Chains**  
_Chapter 02_  
Servitude

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_Without constant acts of servitude, the relationship between a master and servant falls apart._  
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Seimei casually walked down the stairs and out into the bright sunlight, closely followed by his brand new Fighter. Seimei was eager to test him out to see how close he was to being 'perfect.' He closed his eyes and tried to feel for another presence.

"Soubi, expand your system."

It wasn't the order itself Soubi questioned, it was whether or not he was capable of defeating another Fighter and Sacrifice team. Still, an order was an order, and Soubi was not about to let his Sacrifice down so easily.

Seimei remained awfully still, still trying to sense another team. There was a sudden erratic buzzing noise in his ears, and then he _felt _it. A pulse. It was slow and steady, but it was definitely another team. "Can you feel them?"

"Yes… They're approaching us at a quick speed. If they challenge us, do we accept?"

Seimei grinned. "No, because we're going to initiate the battle first. I have no doubt that we will win, but I want to make a point that we are the top team. We will crush any who oppose us."

From the window on the second floor of the Seven Moon's Academy , Ritsu watched the scene below with an odd smile. Seimei was already eager to witness Soubi's power. He ran drummed his fingers on the window sill, ready to grade Soubi on his performance.

Seimei watched with great anticipation as he saw two figures quickly come towards him. "Win, Soubi. Our reputation is at stake."

In an effort to calm himself, Soubi flexed his fingers. "They're here…" He looked at his opponents: a male and female partnership, both about the age of fifteen. Neither one of them had their ears.

"Excellent," Seimei breathed. "Soubi, go."

Ritsu sighed at the window. Didn't Seimei even care to learn their names? How in the world was Soubi supposed to know their weakness if they weren't given the names of their opponent.

Soubi stretched out his right arm, while making sure Seimei was behind him still. "This is a challenge to a Spell Battle." The words were shaky and nervous.

"Oho?" The girl wrapped her arms around her middle and chuckled. "Two little kids are challenging us? How humorous!"

Soubi's jaw tightened. He could feel Seimei shift his weight behind him, watching, waiting. Neither of them had been a Spell Battle before.

"All right then," the boy said. He combed his fingers through thick silver hair. "We accept your challenge. Don't get your hopes up; We're Merciless."

Soubi took a deep breath and glanced quickly back at Seimei. "Fighting System, initiate." Almost immediately, the world went pitch black. Only Soubi, Seimei, and the Merciless team were able to be seem, and their bodies mysteriously glowed brightly. Soubi could feel Seimei's heartbeat, like it was pounding inside his own chest.

_I will not lose, _Soubi thought strictly. Soubi ignored Merciless' battle initiation, and instead scanned the darkness. He could see faint outlines of objects that used to be there… The trees, in particular. There were metal poles nearby too…weren't there? It felt to Soubi as though he had never even seen the Academy of the Seven Moons before.

"Attack," ordered Seimei. He clenched his fists, eagerly waiting. He had been looking forward to this ever since he Beloved mark showed up.

Since the only thing Soubi was sure of was that there were trees there before, Soubi decided it was best to start with using the leaves as weapons. After all, they could become as powerful as he could imagine to be.

"_Leaves,_" Soubi said, hesitation his voice, "_like sharp daggers, strike the enemy with unbearable force._"

Seimei stifled a gasp as the leaves suddenly became very solid, bright green. Just as Soubi had ordered, they fell from the trees and raced at their opponents, ready to tear them apart.

The Fighter, who had turned out be the male, lazily waved his hand. "_Damage is zero._" His Sacrifice smiled keenly.

"Soubi! You can't say your spells like that!" Seimei reprimanded. "You sound scared. If you're scared, you can't cause damage… Right?"

"That's right!" the Sacrifice from Merciless chimed in. "Go on, Kouta. Eliminate them."

Kouta smiled. "Oh, this will be fun." He placed his hands together. When he brought them apart again, electricity pulsed in the empty space. "_Lighting, like a million arrows, pierce them!_"

Soubi didn't have time to defend. Seimei gave an agonized scream and collapsed to his knees, panting. Soubi swallowed hard. He couldn't let that happen again. Not to his Sacrifice. Not to Seimei.

"Soubi," Seimei hissed. "Destroy them!"

Kouta laughed. "Hey, Katara, how should we kill them?"

"It's up to you, Kouta. Burn them, drown them, lose them in the darkness. However you see fit."

Kouta grinned. "I think I'll burn them." He summoned a ball of fire in the same manner he had summoned the lightning. "_Fire, rise up and burn their bodies to a crisp!_"

"Soubi, defend!"

Soubi thought as quickly as possible. Water countered fire, so… "_Rain, eliminate their fire and drown them!_" It was draining to summon water. It wasn't in their environment, so it left Soubi vulnerable and weak. But the water did its job, and the fire was put out. It did, at the least, seem to damage Mercilessa bit.

"It looks like they're not as dumb as they look," Katara spat. "But Kouta's attack wasn't entirely shunned aside."

Soubi swallowed thickly and turned to look at Seimei. Glowing chains had appeared and clamped themselves around Seimei's neck and wrists. The sight made Soubi feel rather ill. "Seimei," Soubi asked worriedly, "are you all right?"

"Forget about the chains. Do what you must to win! We will not go down this easy!"

Soubi nodded. "Right." Ritsu-sensei… Ritsu-sensei had taught him many spells. But which one would win? Which one would the older team not know a counter to? Which one…

Then he remembered last night. Ritsu-sensei made Soubi feel trapped. He could put that feeling into words… He could make it happen to them, too. But did he have the energy to summon them?

"_Chains!_" Soubi shouted. "_Inhibit all movement!_" If he couldn't damage them normally, he would manually make the chains appear. Then they'd be on equal levels. Soubi felt a great deal of energy leave him. Inwardly, he gave a sigh of relief as thick glowing chains appeared on his opponent's Sacrifice.

Although both Sacrifices were Restricted, there was an obvious difference in the Fighters. While Soubi was clearly exhausted, Kouta seemed to have a few more spells in him. Soubi and Seimei were going to lose, at this rate.

"Kill them if you have to!" Seimei ordered.

"Kill!?" Katara shouted. "You're sick! Deranged!" Her chains seemed rather heavy.

Soubi stared ahead helplessly. Ritsu-sensei had told him of a spell once… A spell meant to kill the opponent instead of damaging them. But the caster could possibly die as well. Even so… Seimei was his Sacrifice. Soubi would do what Seimei wanted. If Seimei wanted to win at all costs, then Soubi would kill them, even if it meant killing himself. But then Seimei would also die…

No… Soubi would win without using _that _spell. Soubi would win gracefully. But killing them still wasn't out of the question.

"_Restrain!_" Soubi knew that since the Sacrifice was already restrained, the damage would automatically fall to the Fighter.

The same glowing chains found themselves attached to Kouta as well, but that didn't stop him from casting another spell. "_Energy! Tear them apart! Destroy everything in our path!_"

But the same laws applied to Soubi as they did to Kouta. Soubi prepared himself for the attack. He would not show pain. He would not show fear. He would stand strong, and he would let them know that Seimei's orders were absolute. "_Complete Defense!_" The spell did not work well without a good image, but the damage wasn't as bad as it could have been. Still Soubi was struggling to keep standing.

Soubi had to win. It was an order. He could hear Seimei struggling to breathe, weakened, just like he was. Soubi would not let Seimei's order go unfulfilled. "_Darkness,_" Soubi said confidently, "_surround the opponent. Suffocate them. Squeeze the air from their very lungs._"

To his surprise, the spell had worked. Kouta and Katara fell to their knees, struggling to breathe. The coughed and sputtered a weak plea and surrendered. It ended. The blackness of the battle area was ebbing away, and the Academy of the Seven Moons came back into view. They had won. Seimei and Soubi's first Spell Battle had ended in victory.

Soubi's legs would no longer support his weight. He collapse, breathing hard, but delighted that he had managed to win. Seimei's chains were gone, and he was no longer in pain. He no longer looked so excited.

"I'm surprised," Seimei said slowly. "I thought you would have won with your first spell."

Those words tugged at Soubi's heart. He had done _everything _in his power to win. And they had won! Wasn't…that enough? That was the order, wasn't it? _Win_?

"I'm…going home," Seimei said awkwardly. "I have to make sure Ritsuka eats a proper dinner." He looked towards the spot where Merciless had been. They were gone. "I can't believe they surrendered… What a cheap way to win."

"Seimei," whispered Soubi. "I'm sorry."

Seimei ignored him. He didn't want to hear excuses. "I'll be back for you tomorrow." Turning swiftly on his heel, Seimei left the academy without looking back.

Did Soubi really disappoint him that much? "Seimei…" He stared after him longingly, desperate for him to return. Desperate to see Seimei with a smile. He wanted that more than anything. He wanted to see Seimei with that look of childish joy on his face, like he had back in Ritsu-sensei's meeting room…

It started to rain.

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Hours passed by, but Soubi did not move from his spot on the ground. He didn't have the strength to pull himself up and walk across the front lawn of the academy. He didn't have the courage to face Ritsu-sensei.

Suddenly, Soubi heard footsteps. His eyes stared hopefully in the direction Seimei had left in. Maybe Seimei was coming back. But no… It was just some weird teenager running down the street as if he were in a race. Soubi sighed heavily.

But the teenager stopped beside Soubi and peered down at him. "Why are you lying here on the sidewalk? You'll get trampled."

Soubi stared up at that carefree face. "I deserve it," he said sternly.

"Eh? You deserve it?"

"Yes," Soubi said simply.

The teenager sighed. "You look like you got beat up. Do you need help getting home? I think I can help you get there."

"I'd rather not go back home."

"But you have to go home! I'm sure your parents are worried about you!"

Soubi's eyes narrowed. "My parents are dead."

"…Oh. I'm sorry." He was silent for a while. "Uhm… My name is Kio Kaido. What's yours?"

Soubi was silent, still glaring at this Kio. This teenager. He was just an outsider, like everyone else. 'I'm sure your parents are worried about you!' That was almost funny…

"Come on, you can't just lie here. It's raining! You'll get sick! You'll catch pneumonia and die!"

"Why are you so worried about me? I'll be fine." Concerned strangers always made Soubi feel…suspicious.

"Anyone would be worried if they found a kid in the street, just lying there on the sidewalk, soaked to the bone….and is that blood!?"

"Probably," Soubi said nonchalantly. "More likely than not."

"And… And…"

"And _what_?" Soubi pressed, annoyed.

"Your ears! They're gone! But… But you're so young! I wish I had someone to take my ears…"

Soubi wrinkled his nose in disgust. "It just happened recently." If this Kio person didn't stop talking soon, Soubi really would have to go back inside. At least he'd be away from the jabbering idiot. And when he got up, he wouldn't think twice about punching him in the face.

Kio looked eagerly around as if to see a sign that read: THE EARLESS KID LIVES HERE in neon, flashing letters. But he saw no such sign. He did, however, see the academy. "Do you go to school there?"

"…Yes."

"That's so cool!" Kio exploded. "I'm going to be taking art classes in the school a street away. I'll be able to see you when you're all better!"

This was an absolute nightmare. Kio was the _last _person he wanted to see. If anything, he wished Seimei would return.

"C'mon," Kio muttered, sliding his arms around Soubi and hoisting him up. "Geeze, you're heavy!"

Soubi wasn't surprised. It was almost all dead weight. "Why are you helping me? And where are you taking me?"

Kio steadied Soubi and almost dragged him across the lawn. "I'm helping you because I can't stand seeing you be out here in the rain, and I'm taking you inside your school so someone can take you home."

"…I live at the school," Soubi said slowly.

"Really!? That must totally suck… I'd hate to live in school. Do the teachers live there too?"

"…Yes. One of them does."

Kio shuddered. "That must be terrible."

Soubi said nothing, but allowed himself to be led inside. He supposed it was for the best. When Seimei came back tomorrow, he would return to find Soubi rested and well, and ready to prove himself again.

With Soubi carefully balanced against him, Kio pushed open the doors of the academy. He let out a gasp of surprise when he saw how much everything must have cost. After a few hesitant steps forward, Kio noticed a man--particularly scary-looking and strict--coming down the staircase.

"Excuse me!" Kio shouted, his voice echoing ridiculously in the large main hall. "Sir?"

Soubi stood up as straight as possible, though he held onto Kio's shoulder's to keep his balance. "Ritsu-sensei…"

"Eh? This guy is your teacher?" Kio scanned the man, from his silver hair to his expensive-looking shoes. "It must cost a fortune to come here."

Ritsu walked over to Kio and Soubi, looking rather displeased. "I see you've finally returned, Soubi-kun."

Kio looked positively delighted. "Soubi! That's such a nice name. Why didn't you tell me earlier? Hey, Ritsu-sensei, will you take care of Sou-chan for me? It looks like he got hurt out there. He should get dried off and get to bed right away so he doesn't fall ill."

"…Sou-chan?" Soubi repeated. Ritsu was wearing a matching puzzled expression. "You barely even know me. Why are you calling me that? And… wouldn't you be calling me Soubi-kun?"

"I don't _have _to call you Soubi-kun! You look like a girl, so I'll call you Sou-chan."

Soubi shrugged Kio off, disgusted. It was much more difficult to keep his balance now.

"Well, if you'll be taking care of Sou-chan, I'll head home then. Mind if I visit tomorrow?"

"Yes," Soubi and Ritsu said together. Soubi cast his eyes aside.

"Outsiders are not allowed into the academy. I suppose you are an exception, since you brought my star pupil home. But now your work is finished, and I would appreciate it if you left. I must deal with Soubi-kun."

Kio tilted his head, staring quizzically at Ritsu. Deal with? That didn't sound good. But this was Soubi's school. He didn't have the right to get involved. "Uhm… Okay. See you later, Sou-chan…?"

"…I doubt it."

Kio sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Hope you get well fast, Sou-chan." He shoved his hands into his pockets and miserably exited the building. The feeling that Soubi was going to be more pain was very strong, and it bothered Kio.

"Soubi-kun…" Ritsu purred.

Soubi shuddered. Ritsu said his name like a lover would, but love was certainly one of the emotions that Ritsu was lacking.

"I'm disappointed in you," Ritsu continued. "Having an outsider return you? Weren't you able to walk in by yourself?"

"No," Soubi admitted quietly. "I was perfectly willing to wait until I regained my strength. But that kid just…" Soubi shook his head. "I just wanted to be well for when Seimei returns."

Ritsu smiled, and Soubi noticed it was missing warmth and affection. It was a cold, calculating smile. "How did the Spell Battle go?" Ritsu asked innocently.

"Seimei and I won."

"Good… Perhaps, for tonight… I will give you an evening of rest."

Soubi's face broke into a smile of relief.

"You did win, after all." Ritsu let his fingers caress Soubi's face. "I'm proud of you." He gently pet the area where Soubi's ears had been, suddenly missing them. "You even look more mature."

Soubi remained very still. Anything he said or did could cause Ritsu to change his mind. But… He felt guilty. They had very narrowly won. "Ritsu-sensei…"

"Yes?" Ritsu was still smiling.

"I want you to help me get stronger."

"Do you, now…?" Ritsu continued to stroke Soubi's head as if he was a kitten.

"Even though we won, Seimei was still Restricted. He was in so much pain, and… I don't ever want that to happen again."

Ritsu casually leaned over and placed a kiss on Soubi's forehead. "Soubi-kun," he breathed. "Not tonight. Your forehead is burning, and that boy was right. You need to sleep."

"But Ritsu-sensei…!"

"Don't argue. Seimei expects you to be well in the morning. You must not let your Sacrifice be disappointed in you."

Soubi knew Ritsu was right. Perhaps Seimei wouldn't be so eager to defeat another team tomorrow…

Ritsu scooped Soubi into his arms and carried him upstairs without a word. But Soubi was on-guard. Ritsu was keen to sudden mood changes, and if he felt like lavishing Soubi with love, he was not about to object. Then again, he didn't want Ritsu to suddenly pull out his whip.

With the loving grip of a father, Ritsu gently placed Soubi in his bed and patted his head once more. "Tomorrow, when you are well, I'll train you. Seimei may watch, but it isn't necessary. You'll be capable of choosing your own spells within a year."

Soubi closed his eyes. It had been such a long morning…

Ritsu sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "Soubi-kun, just wait another year. Then you won't even need Seimei." But Soubi was already asleep, breathing faint, shallow breaths.

For a moment, Ritsu watched Soubi sleep. The sight almost sickened him. The boy looked exactly like his mother, with those soft honey tresses and deep blue eyes. He was even a Fighter, like her.

"Perhaps I am a little bitter… But I will make Soubi-kun into the perfect Fighter. Not even Nagisa's Zero Series will be able to surpass him. Soubi-kun was born, not made. But he can still be molded…"

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**Author's Note: **_I'm absolutely floored. Seven reviews and five story alerts just for chapter one. I thought that I'd be lucky to get even two reviews! Thank you so much everyone, you've really boosted my confidence! Please leave a review if you can, and tell me if this was a good chapter as well._


	3. Discipline

**A Fighter Bound In Chains**  
_Chapter 03_  
Discipline  


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_ No matter how something was molded, good or bad, it took discipline to get that way._ ..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-...-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..-..

"Ritsu-sensei," Soubi whispered softly. His face and forehead were burning, his chest hurt, and he had a terrible headache. "Why don't you tell me the truth?"

Ritsu remained silent, wringing out a damp cloth and placing it on Soubi's forehead. "The longer you stay awake, the more time it will take to recover. The Aoyagi child will be here soon.

Soubi frowned and looked aside. "Now you're just avoiding my question."

Ritsu sighed heavily. "Soubi-kun, why are you so persistent? You haven't even asked me the question, and now you're going on as if you've asked me a hundred times today."

"But I have," Soubi retorted. "I want you to tell me what happened to my parents."

For a moment, Ritsu's face remained unchanged, as if he hadn't heard the question. And then, "You were alive when it happened. Therefore, you should very well know. They died in an accident."

"But what kind of accident?"

Ritsu leaned back in his chair, tapping his foot almost impatiently. "The kind of accident that really wasn't an accident to begin with. It was your mother's fault."

Soubi submissively pulled the blankets up to his chin. "And you hate my mother."

"I do."

"Why?"

"Soubi-kun," said Ritsu sternly, "it is not appropriate to ask so many questions. I hope you were not like this for Seimei yesterday."

"I didn't question Seimei at all. He is my master, and I trust him."

Ritsu adjusted the cloth on Soubi's forehead, and once again he was frowning. "I will tell you the truth, Soubi-kun. But I will tell you only once."

"Thank you, Ritsu-sensei."

Ritsu leaned forward, bringing the chair into its normal position. "Your mother and I were…co-workers. You see, she was supposed to work for me, and only for me. But one day, she was introduced to another man, and got this silly idea that she was in love with him. She had a child with this man, and a few years later, she and her husband died in an accident."

Co-workers? Soubi understood then.

"She was supposed to be your Fighter, wasn't she? She was supposed to follow your orders and obey you, but instead she fell in love and left you behind."

"I never said that," Ritsu said coldly. "I said she was my co-worker, and nothing more."

But Soubi pressed on. "Ritsu-sensei… Did you love her? Or was she just a Fighter to you?"

"Enough! The Aoyagi child will be here any moment!" Ritsu stood and crossed the room so quickly, Soubi thought for a moment that he had simply disappeared. The door slammed so harshly that Soubi's entire room shook.

"…I would be hurt if Seimei abandoned me like that."

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Kio sighed dramatically as he trudged along the sidewalk with his school bag in tow. The rain had stopped a few hours before sunrise, and the entire town seemed to smell of fresh grass. Normally, Kio would have enjoyed this; the smells, the scenery… But the academy stood as an ominous silhouette, glaring down at him with all its mystery.

"I wonder if Sou-chan's okay…" Kio squinted against the faint rays of sunshine up at the academy. It almost seemed to be alive, breathing deeply, keeping Soubi locked up. "I guess it couldn't hurt to check up on him," he said slowly, as though convincing himself.

Kio knew his classes would be starting at eight o'clock sharp, but… He could miss one day. This was important. This was Soubi, and even though Kio was with him for twenty minutes, he was determined to make sure he was all right. "I'm coming for you, Sou-chan!"

With a blatant disregard for pedestrians, Kio dashed along the sidewalk and towards the academy. He'd make sure Sou-chan wasn't ill. The academy seemed to be the kind of place where they didn't care if a student was ill. If Soubi was sick, Kio would make sure they took him to a hospital. If not, he'd drag Soubi there himself!

But suddenly, Kio wasn't running anymore. He had been ripped from his thoughts after he had run into something about his height and had rebounded onto the sidewalk, staring up at the sky. "Geeze," Kio murmured. Whatever he had knocked over came tumbling down with him.

"Why don't you watch where you're going?" came a rather snappy reply. A boy's voice.

Kio gingerly stood up and brushed himself off. "Sorry, I got lost in my own thoughts—" Kio's voice caught in his throat as he stared at the person he had run into. He looked particularly upset, his violet eyes glaring, his black hair now messy from the collision. Kio hesitantly held out his hand. "Here, let me help you up…"

"Don't touch me with your _dirty _hands!"

Kio withdrew his hand, watching the boy get up. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," the boy growled. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and meet someone at the academy. _You _should be getting to your own school."

"Eh? You go to school there?" Kio pointed at the front gate of the academy. Not waiting for an answer, he continued, "Do you know a Sou-chan? A Soubi?"

At this, the boy's eyes narrowed. "That is none of your business," he muttered, and strode off towards the academy.

Kio took the response to mean yes, the dark-haired boy knew Soubi, and that he was probably inside there still. If he remembered correctly, Soubi had said he lived there, with one or more of the teachers.

As a group of the academy's students approached, Kio took the opportunity to nonchalantly merge with them and make his way into the academy. It was still as he remembered it; large, and definitely costing an arm and a leg to attend, so to speak.

Now was the time he wished he hadn't left so soon. Kio had no idea where Soubi's dormitory room might be, or if he would be attending classes today.

"Maybe… Maybe I could ask someone…" He fervently looked around, trying to spot a kind face. But they all looked almost inhuman, the way they walked with almost emotionless faces. The building didn't seem to be an institution of learning at all. It was more like a place to train soldiers for war. "Well, I came this far." Kio took a brave breath, and started his search on the first floor.

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Soubi wasn't feeling much better, but at eight o'clock that morning, he carefully made his way to the meeting room and waited for Seimei to arrive. He grew anxious as the seconds ticked by, and he wondered why Seimei was late. Seimei didn't seem the type of person to be late to any sort of appointment, so why…?

Ten minutes later, the door finally opened, and an exhausted Seimei walked in. Soubi stood up and sighed with relief. "You're here."

"I would have been here sooner, but some kid bumped into me. I took a quick stop at the bathroom to wash my hands afterwards." Seimei slowly looked around. "Where is your teacher?"

"Ritsu-sensei is always very late when it comes to others," Soubi commented. This did not appease Seimei, however.

"Go find him."

Soubi nodded and quickly walked to the door, but before he could step outside of the room, Ritsu walked in. He was brandishing his whip.

"Soubi-kun," said Ritsu affectionately. "Seimei, I'm glad you could come. Today, you will be learning how to properly handle Soubi."

Seimei's cat ears perked with interest. "Oh? And how will we be accomplishing this?" His eyes slowly moved towards the whip.

"First, I will show you the easiest manner. Soubi—take your shirt off."

After a moments hesitation, Soubi slowly unbuttoned his shirt. He slid it past his shoulders and let it drop onto the floor with a soft thump. In all honesty, he was afraid. The last time he had taken off his shirt, Ritsu had not only whipped him, but then sexually assaulted him afterwards. But, he had to remind himself, that this was for his own good.

Ritsu cracked the whip in the air, and Soubi automatically flinched. It was too late to correct his mistake. Ritsu grabbed Soubi by the shoulder and roughly turned him around, and then drove the whip into Soubi's back.

"If he does not obey," Ritsu said bitterly, "you must physically strike him." He examined Soubi, his expression, his stance. "If he shows pain, you will strike him again. If he shows fear, you must strike him harder and faster, like this."

Ritsu demonstrated how quickly and forcefully the whip could dance across Soubi's back. The old wound was quickly reopened and blood was already beginning to pool. Soubi kept his jaw slack, as if he felt no pain at all. He kept his mind elsewhere so that he couldn't think of the pain. He kept his eyes open, and stared at the floor. These actions seemed to dull the pain considerably.

When Ritsu was finally finished, he passed the whip to Seimei. "You can practice with the whip now. Tell me, what displeases you about Soubi-kun?"

Soubi was slightly put off that Ritsu assumed Seimei had a list of faults that he was ready to go through, but he remained silent. He stood tall for Seimei, his muscles tightened; he was ready. The pain he would feel from Seimei would be a strong gesture of love.

Seimei gingerly wrapped his hands around the whip, and he thought for a moment. "Soubi isn't strong enough."

"Good," said Ritsu in a congratulatory sort of voice. "Now show him your fury. Show him your disappointment with that whip, and he will improve. Make him bear that whip!"

Seimei seemed almost too happy to obey. He cracked the whip wildly against Soubi's back as if this was nothing new to him. A satisfied smile crept to his face as he saw Soubi was still standing tall for him.

"Am I not striking him hard enough, Ritsu?"

Ritsu regarded Soubi for a moment. There was no evidence of pain or fear. Soubi had finally mastered putting a mask on. But perhaps it was only because Seimei was his Sacrifice. Soubi had never behaved so well when it was he who had the whip.

"If it is for Seimei, I can do it," Soubi said fervently.

"Can you really?" Seimei questioned.

"If it is for Seimei, I can do anything."

"Would you die for me, Soubi?"

"Yes."

"Would you kill me if I asked you to?"

Soubi was silent. What kind of question was that? Of course, if Seimei asked him to do it, he would kill Seimei. But at the same time, it would be a terrible sin. "If you asked me to, I would. I wouldn't want to," he added, "but I would."

Seimei looked positively satisfied.

"Excuse me for a moment," Ritsu said. He left the room, shutting the door gently behind himself.

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"This is ridiculous!" Kio murmured. "This place is huge! I'll never find Sou-chan!" It had only been roughly twenty minutes, but he had covered every part of the building that he could, and people were definitely getting suspicious of him. The only place that he hadn't checked was the highest floor he knew of, but the door to the stairwell was locked.

"This sucks!"

Kio was hushed by a crowd of glaring students that walked by him. Kio crossed his arms and glared aside. "Well, it does suck," he mumbled. He sat on the floor and stared miserably at the wall across from him. "Maybe Sou-chan did get sick, and then… What if… What if Sou-chan died?"

"Didn't I tell you that outsiders were not permitted?"

Kio started and looked around. Ritsu stood a few feet away, his arms crossed, his eyes narrowed. "Didn't I?"

"Well, yes, but… But I wanted to make sure Sou-chan was okay."

Ritsu picked Kio up by the scruff of the neck. "I honestly couldn't care less why you're here. I want you out, now, or else I'll physically _throw _you out via the_ window_."

"The window?! From this height?! I'd die!"

"Wouldn't that be a wonderful gift for everyone here?" Ritsu glared ominously down at him. "If you want to see Soubi-kun, you must have his Sacrifice's permission."

"…Sac…rifice?"

"Yes. And since neither Soubi-kun, nor his Sacrifice are here, I'm very sorry, but you'll have to leave." Ritsu shoved Kio over to the window. "Shall I push you out now?"

"No! I'm leaving, I'm leaving! I just want to know if Sou-chan is okay… Tell me that, and I'll go. I'll never come back!"

"Never?"

Well, maybe he would. But Kio nodded anyway. "I promise." He mentally had his fingers crossed.

"Soubi-kun has developed a mild cold. It'll pass quickly, as long as he gets rest."

"He's sick?!"

"Yes, because he didn't come in sooner. But he'll be fine. I've told you his status, so leave."

Kio sighed. "Right… Thanks, Sou-chan's teacher."

Ritsu remained silent, and Kio, full of resignation, slowly walked down the stairs and out of the academy. There was no way he was going to see Soubi again with that teacher guy there. He'd have to come up with an elaborate plan to get him to leave, and then sneak in when the creepy guy wasn't around.

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While Ritsu was gone, Seimei practiced controlling Soubi. Even when the orders were perfectly carried out, Seimei whipped him anyway. After all, Soubi could always do better.

Despite the pain in his back and the blood that was drying all over his body, Soubi was happy. He was learning from Seimei, and he was being a good servant to his master.

"That's enough for today," Seimei mused aloud. "But go wash and bandage yourself. I don't want to get any blood on me. Bumping into that kid was enough contamination for one day."

Soubi nodded, and since it was closer, used the private bathroom in the meeting room. Seimei would probably be upset if Soubi took too long.

Ritsu returned, a violent look in his eyes. "How did Soubi behave?"

"…Not too bad. His performance could have been better, but I'm still satisfied for the time being."

"Where is he now?" Ritsu queried.

"In the bathroom," Seimei answered, gesturing to the private bathroom. "I told him to clean up."

Ritsu sat in one of the four chairs in the room and looked over at Seimei. "You know... Soubi-kun—He isn't yours. You can try to control him all you like, but in the end… He's _mine_."

"Yours?" Seimei laughed. "You know the rules! A Fighter must listen to his Sacrifice! And that Sacrifice is me."

Ritsu calmly steepled his fingers. "I am the one instructing him, and therefore he is mine. Without my knowledge of spells, Soubi-kun will be unable to learn and will be useless to you. Do you want Soubi-kun to be useless to you? You can only have one Fighter…"

"I'll discipline my Fighter however I see fit!"

"I told you, he isn't _yours_. He's _mine_. He'll be mine forever, even after I die."

"We'll see about that," Seimei challenged. "I'll show you who truly owns Soubi. Then you'll realize that you've lost your precious little pupil to a teenager. How pathetic."

Ritsu was silent. He knew that he would win. There was no point in arguing any further.

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**Author's Note: **_Woo hoo! Chapter 3! Poor Kio is separated from his crush, and I think most of you can guess what's coming next chapter. And, for those of you a bit concerned with Seimei's constant remarks about dirt and contamination, it should be noted that he has mysophobia, a fear of dirt, contamination, etc. It's not explicitly said in the manga or anime, but all his actions pretty much prove it. As always, please review! Especially if you've spotted mistakes or errors, or just want to flame or compliment me._


	4. Ownership

**A Fighter Bound In Chains**_  
Chapter 04_  
Ownership

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_Only in death can true ownership be passed along to another individual; two humans may never share it.__..  
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Late that evening, Seimei requested to view his servant's room. Of course, Soubi obeyed. He was unsure of why Seimei suddenly wanted entrance to a bedroom, but it was not his place to question his master's orders. It was with a heart full of trepidation that Soubi pushed open the door that led to his small bedroom.

Carefully, as though afraid the dust in the room may leap up to attack at any given moment, Seimei stepped into the room. To him, it was like teaching a dog about obedience. The Master can enter the dog's territory, but the dog may never be in places that belonged solely to the master. In Seimei's opinion, he found an earless teenager to be much too foul and disgusting to be allowed entrance to his own home.

"So," said Seimei conversationally, "you sleep here?"

Soubi nodded as if it was common to ask such a question. "However, I'm not in my room very often. I have private sessions with Ritsu-sensei, and then I study spells in the library until evenings, usually."

"How interesting." Seimei paced the room, carefully examining what little furniture there was."Now that we're alone, Soubi…"

"…Yes?"

Seimei spun around on his heel and stared up at Soubi. "Who do you think you belong to?"

"I belong to you," came the automatic response. A feeling of guilt crept through his chest like a large snake uncoiling. For a moment, Soubi had a terrible, terrible doubt. He knew that technically, he belonged to Seimei. But did he really want to be Seimei's Fighter? Ever since he had been small and was brought to Ritsu after his parents died, he had always assumed he would grow up to become Ritsu's Fighter. So, what was it that he was suddenly feeling? Betrayal?

"You don't look very sure," said Seimei tauntingly.

"I am sure! I was just surprised to be given to another Sacrifice. I had always thought Ritsu wanted me as his own Fighter."

"Well," scoffed Seimei. "Ritsu gave you to me. It's time you stop thinking that other people own you. I own you, no one else, not Ritsu, not your friends, no one!"

"I'm sorry, Seimei. I am very happy to be your Fighter."

"You better be." Seimei glared at Soubi for a moment. "Where is your name written?"

"…It isn't written anywhere."

Seimei raised his eyebrows and stared at Soubi in pure and utter shock. He looked down at his own hands, where the faint markings of Beloved were starting to appear across one of his fingers. It was devastating to know that the thing that was _supposed_ to belong to him, to fight for him, didn't even share the same name. "You don't have a name?"

"…I'm sorry. I thought Ritsu would have told you."

"He didn't. Explain."

Soubi sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm a Blank Fighter. I will never have a name. Supposedly, my mother was a Fighter and my father was a Sacrifice. At any rate, since both of my parents already had a name, I was unable to inherent one based on my personality. It was amazing I was able to inherent my mother's position as a Fighter."

"But if we don't share the name Beloved, our power will be permanently halved!"

"No, no!" Soubi held up his hands in a vain attempt to calm Seimei down. "You're supposed to write the name yourself. That's how it works with Blank Fighters."

Seimei considered this for a moment. "Then… That last battle with Merciless…"

"Our power was halved because at the time, we didn't share a name. You should write it."

After a steadying breath, Seimei advanced towards Soubi and examined him fully. Write the name? Where should he put it? What part of the body would show his ownership of Soubi the best? Seimei stretched out his fingers, touching the Fighter he felt to be so disgusting. "What happened to your ears?" he asked vaguely.

"They were taken not very long ago," said Soubi shortly.

"I thought a Sacrifice and Fighter were supposed to wait for each other, and lose their ears and tail to their partner?"

Soubi nodded. "Typically, that's what happens."

Seimei's slender fingers caressed Soubi's face as one would caress a lover. "And you couldn't wait?"

At this, Soubi's eyes softened considerably. Had he been given the chance, he could have easily waited. After all, there was no happiness for him in that kind of physical pleasure. Soubi felt the irresistible need to be controlled by someone, be it Seimei or Ritsu, anyone, as long as they were stronger than him. Soubi looked into his Sacrifice's eyes, loving how fascinatingly violet they were.

"Soubi? You couldn't wait for me?"

"If I had the choice to wait, I would have waited for you. I did not freely give up my ears, they were taken from me by Ritsu. It was to make me appear stronger and less fragile. But… I would gladly give my ears to you if I still had them."

Seimei laughed bitterly. "Oh, it figures. That old man really wants nothing more than to control you."

It was true. Both Seimei and Ritsu were very good at controlling him. "But without him, I would not have access to so many advanced spells."

"I suppose you're right in that area. Aha…" Seimei's hand paused over Soubi's neck. It would be perfect there. Seimei considered Soubi nothing more than a loyal companion—a dog. Writing the name on his neck would make it perfect. But the name alone wouldn't be enough. He needed something more beautiful than the symbol of being loved by everyone.

"Have you found a suitable place for the name?" Soubi tried to keep his voice calm and level. Writing such a long name on his neck would be painful. But if Seimei was doing it, the pain would be a good thing. If Seimei wrote the name with tenderness and love, then Soubi would enjoy every moment of agonizing pain.

"Yes," came Seimei's almost breathless reply. It was just so undeniably perfect! And at his waist, he kept a knife, just in case something ever needed to be cut. And now… Now he could use it on his Fighter. Now he could use it to place _his _name on Soubi. Because as long as Soubi was without a name, it meant that he belonged to Ritsu. "I'll put it here…"

With a small grin, Seimei reached down and pulled out his pocket knife. "This will hurt you, Soubi."

"I know." Soubi nodded, full of determination. "I'm ready for it."

Seimei placed the tip of his pocket knife at Soubi's throat. Vaguely, he remembered that slicing open a person's throat would mean certain death.

"It'll also be dangerous for you. You could bleed to death." He smiled. He could kill his Fighter, and he would be exempt from the rules of the Seven Moons. After all, Soubi was just a Fighter that just so happened to fight for him. If he died, there would always be a replacement.

But Seimei also knew that Soubi was strong. Not as strong as he would like, but their power together would double as soon as the name was carved into that pale flesh. Having twice as much power so soon, skipping all that training… Such a wonderful scenario. Seimei's hands shook in anticipation.

"If it is for Seimei," began Soubi, "then I can do anything. I honestly meant what I said. If you carve your name into my neck, I will become bound to you for life. The chains that bind us together will appear, and when you call for me, I will be able to hear you no matter what the circumstance is. I will come to your side, no matter what. I will not die."

"You better not die. I'm ordering you to live. Even if I cut too deeply and your blood, disgusting as it is, gushes out and cascades to the floor, I command you to remain standing. Because I will make sure more blood follows if you falter. Do you understand me, Soubi?"

"Yes. I understand."

Very slowly, and very precisely, Seimei made the first cut. It was a straight vertical line, and it was deeper than Seimei expected it to be. But Soubi's face remained calm and unstrained. Next came the two loops that would connect to the vertical line. After a few minutes, the B was completed. Only six more letters.

But Seimei's hands were getting dirty. Blood was oozing from the cuts and staining his hands red. But he had to ignore it. He had to disregard the feeling he felt, how filthy he felt, how dirty Soubi was. Soubi was his possession, and he was going to show that to both Ritsu and Soubi himself.

Throughout the entire ritual, Soubi remained standing tall and erect. His expression never changed. Not once was Seimei able to catch a glimpse of Soubi in pain. _Good, _he thought, _he really is getting stronger already._

Finally, Seimei finished carving the single loop for the D, and he stepped back to examine his work. Blood was still dripping from the cuts, sliding down Soubi's neck and staining his shirt with blood again. But the name was perfectly carved, and the blood made the name BELOVED shine all the more beautifully.

However, even though Soubi now truly belonged to him, it somehow didn't feel right to Seimei. It still wasn't enough. Soubi remained still, unwavering, waiting for the signal to be able to move. As Seimei stared hard at the inscription on Soubi's neck, an idea came to him. One he could incorporate, because he still thought of Soubi as a loyal companion—like a dog.

"Do you know what you need?" asked Seimei, tenderly running his bloody fingers along the unmarked portions of Soubi's neck.

"A deeper way of being connected to you," responded Soubi.

Seimei was surprised at the sudden answer, and even more so by the fact that it was correct. "You're right. And I've thought of the loveliest idea, too. I'm sure you'll love it, too. For now, I need you to tilt your head back all the way.

Soubi obeyed without question and without hesitation. Seimei carefully mapped out the design in his head. When he felt ready, Seimei began the twists and curves of what resembled barbed wire. This would give Ritsu the message that Soubi really belonged to him now. This would let the entire world know that Soubi was his, and no one would ever take him away. He made the design wrap twice around Soubi's neck.

After what seemed to be hours, Seimei stepped back again and dropped the knife. His face broke into a happy smile, because he had never been so pleased in his entire life. He had given Soubi a beautiful collar, and everyone would know that Soubi was now and forever his. No one else would ever have him.

"Go to the bathroom and look. It's beautiful."

Soubi offered a faint smile and went to the nearest bathroom as he had been commanded to do.

Now that he was finished and no longer had a reason to keep his hands stained with the impure blood of his Fighter, Seimei decided it would be best to follow Soubi and wash off the blood and the knife.

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**Author's Note:** _I'm sorry, everyone. I know it took a very long time for this update, and I apologize for my laziness! I hope everyone found his chapter… Well, interesting. Hopefully it wasn't too gory or creepy. I'd also like to thank everyone for all those reviews. __37 __reviews __and in only 3 chapters?__ You guys made me feel terrible for not updating soon enough!__ All of the reviews filled me with a warm and fuzzy and happy feeling, though. So I'm looking forward to your reviews on this chapter, too!__ Thank you for reading!_


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